[Maylyn's Review] ASUS RT-AC87U

[xtwis7]

Well if your performance was client-limited don't expect any magic from the AC87U until MU-MIMO is turned on in a future firmware release.

The MIMO feature is not turned on yet?

 

[maylyn]

The MIMO feature is not turned on yet?

MU-MIMO is not been enabled as yet as there isn't any MU-MINO clients in the market now and the ASUS EA-AC87 (MU-MIMO client) is still work in progress.

 

[sequalancer]

The max link speed achievable would be same as pairing 2x N66U.

If you upgrade one end to the highest end 4-stream AC router, the other end is still constrained to 3-stream N in your case.

Thanks for replying. Any idea what is the pairing speed of 2 x N66U. I'm still thinking whether I should get AC87 to bridge with N66U to do away the homeplug as I have problem with the signal reaching to the last room from my main router placing in the living room.

 

[renfred89]

Thanks for replying. Any idea what is the pairing speed of 2 x N66U. I'm still thinking whether I should get AC87 to bridge with N66U to do away the homeplug as I have problem with the signal reaching to the last room from my main router placing in the living room.

Your n66 will pull down the linkspeed to 450mbps max on 2.4/5ghz... still faster than homeplug i suppose..

 

[andr3wyong]

Your n66 will pull down the linkspeed to 450mbps max on 2.4/5ghz... still faster than homeplug i suppose..

Farthest room to living room, I think the homeplug may just be faster!

 

[asnnlim]

I am getting the ac87 on Monday. for the SSiD for 2.4ghz and 5ghz, should I use the same or different name?

 

[andr3wyong]

I am getting the ac87 on Monday. for the SSiD for 2.4ghz and 5ghz, should I use the same or different name?

People generally use different SSID to force devices to "stick" to the 5GHz band.

This is to avoid devices falling back to 2.4GHz which will particularly cause AC devices to fall back to N speed.

It allows you to control which devices require speed (5G) and which devices require the greater range (2.4G)

 

[asnnlim]

thanks for the help

 

[crewcutboy]

Just want to report that following the latest firmware update, I lost IPv6 connection. As in completely.. no LAN IP even. Tried downgrading firmware and it was the same. Fixed it by turning the "router advertisement" setting off and back on again.

 

[Nitrile]

Will this offer a significant improvement in range for 2.4 ghz over my ac56u?

 

[andr3wyong]

Will this offer a significant improvement in range for 2.4 ghz over my ac56u?

Most Asus (and other brands') routers are now capped at ~200mW transmit power due to IDA regulation.

Thus you will not see significant improvement in range. Maybe slightly due to better antennae or if you upgrade to high gain antennae, but if you are already having a wifi dead zone, it will not help much.

Don’t forget that it's a 2-way communication, the device at the other end also needs to be "heard" by the router thus without upgrading the other end you might still have range issues.

 

[maylyn]

Just want to report that following the latest firmware update, I lost IPv6 connection. As in completely.. no LAN IP even. Tried downgrading firmware and it was the same. Fixed it by turning the "router advertisement" setting off and back on again.

Which ISP IPv6?

 

[Nitrile]

ok, so i went out to get this

it is disappointing to say the least, especially 2.4 GHz speeds. can say that its worse than my AC56U

is it firmware issues?

 

[Nitrile]

Anybody's AC87 wireless performance bad? I tried speed test on same clients for both AC87 and AC56u, the AC56u actually outperformed the AC87?

should have seen this post before i went out and got one.. lol

 

[jovially]

should have seen this post before i went out and got one.. lol

I was at Funan this afternoon, and after confirmed with the sale, i.e, I only need to select Singtel-others and I will be able to use all the 4 LAN ports as internet ports.
But my port 4 still cannot connect to Internet, is it due to FW issues?

Unit installed with FW 3.0.0.4.376_2678. Please help.

 

[Nitrile]

I was at Funan this afternoon, and after confirmed with the sale, i.e, I only need to select Singtel-others and I will be able to use all the 4 LAN ports as internet ports.
But my port 4 still cannot connect to Internet, is it due to FW issues?

Unit installed with FW 3.0.0.4.376_2678. Please help.

i am using port 4 for mio TV

only reason i am sticking with asus is effortless use with mio tv...

but something is just wrong with this ac87u... my ac56u beats it flat

be it on official or merlin firmware

 

[andr3wyong]

I was at Funan this afternoon, and after confirmed with the sale, i.e, I only need to select Singtel-others and I will be able to use all the 4 LAN ports as internet ports.
But my port 4 still cannot connect to Internet, is it due to FW issues?

Unit installed with FW 3.0.0.4.376_2678. Please help.

It might be because you are using the SingTel preset, which allocates MioTV to port 4 (unless you are on their unlimited plan which does not require the SingTel profile).

I'm not sure if AC87U lets you create a custom profile but if so you can set Internet VLAN as 10 and not create and custom tag for port 3 and 4.

If that's possible then all 4 ports are usable for internet.

 

[jovially]

It might be because you are using the SingTel preset, which allocates MioTV to port 4 (unless you are on their unlimited plan which does not require the SingTel profile).

I'm not sure if AC87U lets you create a custom profile but if so you can set Internet VLAN as 10 and not create and custom tag for port 3 and 4.

If that's possible then all 4 ports are usable for internet.

Understand their 1G plan allow end user to use this router, wonder how they configure? Any Asus guy here can advise? I need all 4 ports to be on Internet to cut down using switch. Thanks in advance.

 

[andr3wyong]

Understand their 1G plan allow end user to use this router, wonder how they configure? Any Asus guy here can advise? I need all 4 ports to be on Internet to cut down using switch. Thanks in advance.

Uh, as mentioned, the non-unlimited plans require VLAN tagging profile as explained in my post.

Only the unlimited plan comes without VLAN tagging which works on all ports out of the box without the changes mentioned in my post.

It's quite complicated but that's what you get for going with SingTel fibre, they do not convert to bridge mode for their non-unlimited plans.

 

[renfred89]

I was at Funan this afternoon, and after confirmed with the sale, i.e, I only need to select Singtel-others and I will be able to use all the 4 LAN ports as internet ports.
But my port 4 still cannot connect to Internet, is it due to FW issues?

Unit installed with FW 3.0.0.4.376_2678. Please help.

Remove the LAN profile to none, to free up the 4th LAN port. If singtel-others is used, 4th port is solely for miotv.